Potato-planter.



No. 812,695. PATENTED FEB. 13, 1906. H. J. SPRINGER.

' POTATO PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.9, 1905.

llllllllid I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. 2 1

NITEI) STATES PATEN FFIC.

HENRY J. SPRINGER, OF EDWARDSVILLE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SPRINGER BROS.MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF EDWVARDSVILLE, ILLINOIS, A

CORPORATION.

POTATO-PLANTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

Application filed September 9, 1905. Serial No. 277,752.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. SPRINGER, a citizen of the United States,residing in Edwardsville, in the county of Madison and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPotato-Planters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in potato-planters, such asillustrated in Let ters Patent of the United States issued to Henry J.Springer November 24, 1903, No. 744,984, and to the Springer Bros.Manufacturing Company June 13, 1905, No. 792,293, and July 25, 1905, No.795,657.

The present invention has reference to mechanically-operated meansoperating in the chutes of the planter and by which the potatoes arereceived as they are fed from the seedboxes and from which the potatoesare dropped to descend through the chutes at the proper times and to theground at the proper intervals of space.

The present invention also has reference to means for adjustably holdingthe fixed oarrier-wings in the seedboxes by which the potatoes arecarried to the outlets from said boxes.

Figure I is a top or plan View of my potatoplanter with parts brokenout. Fig. II is a longitudinal vertical section taken on line II II,Fig. I. Fig. III is an enlarged perspective View of the potato-droppingmechanism, and Fig. IV is an enlarged view of a portion of one of theseedboxes, one pair of the potato-carrier wings in said box, and showingin plan the upper end of the adjacent chute and the dropping member thatoperates in said chute.

1 designates the ground wheels of my planter, which are connected by anaxle 2,

that has fixed thereto a toothed drivingwheel 3.

4 designates the main frame of the planter, which includes draft-bars 5,that are secured at their rear ends to the axle 2.

6 designates the forward or seedbox carrying frame, to which thedraft-bars 5 are connected and which includes in its rear portion across-bar consisting of outer sections 7 and an inner section 8, saidinner section 8 being spaced apart from the outer sections and joined tothem by bowed straps 9, as seen most clearly in Fig. III.

10 designates the seedboxes, which are supported by the forward frame 6.Each of these seedboxes is provided with a rotatable false bottom 11, asshown and described in Letters Patents No. 744,984 and No. 795,657,hereinbefore referred to, that is located above and spaced apart fromthe main bottom 12. The false bottom 11 carries a plurality of swingingcarrierwings 13, pivotally connected thereto by pivot-pins 14 and towhich rocking motion is imparted through the me dium of a fixed cam '15.The swinging carrier-wing cam-operated means comprises a double-armedlever 13, pivoted to the false bottom 11 at 13 and connected to thewings by links 13 16 designates adjustable carrier-wings opposing theswinging wings, which are rockingly secured to the false bottom 11 bypivotpins 17 and which are adapted to be held in fixed positionsrelative to the swinging carrier-wings, but which are susceptible ofadjustment toward or away from the outer potato-carrying ends of theswinging wings for the purpose of diminishing or increasing the width ofthe space between said wings. In the outer end of each of the adjustablewings is a slot 18. The slot in each of said wings is adapted to receivea set screw or bolt 19, that passes through the false bottom 11 and bywhich the wing may be drawn tightly to the false bottom to hold it frommovement after it has been adjusted relative to the opposing swingingcarrier-wing. As in the Letters Patent referred to, the main bottom ofeach seedbox is provided with a single outlet 10, through which thepotatoes are discharged as they are conveyed to said outlet by the pairsof carrier-wings, between which they enter as they ass through openingsin the false bottom of the seedbox. The false bottom of the seedbox isrotated through the medium of a shaft 20, secured to said false bottom,and driven through the medium of an endless chain 21, leading from theaxlecarried toothed wheel 3 to a toothed wheel 20 upon thefalse-bottom-diiving shaft 20.

22 designates one ot the runners or furrowopeners o the planter, and 23designates the chutes leading downwardly from positions adjacent to theoutlets :10 of the seedboxes 10. (See Figs. I and IV.)

24 designates a rock-shaft that is supported by brackets 26, secured tothe rear central section 8 of the seedboX-carrying frame 6.

27 designates valves or buckets that are rigidly fixed to the rock-shaft24 and which are arranged to operate in the upper ends of the chutes 23and to be movedrearwardlyinto the spaces between the central and outersections 8 and 7 at the rear of the frame 6. The valves 27 arepreferably provided with side and rear walls, as seen in Fig. III,toprevent the potatoes descending onto said valves escapi-ng therefromby passing over their side or rear edges, thereby causing them to beconfined in the upper portions of the chutes and above the valves whenthey are discharged from the seedboXes into the chutes.

28 designates a finger-wheel fixed to the driving-shaft 20 and havingany desirable number of fingers 29. 30 is a guide that is secured bysuitable means to the seedboX- supporting frame, as seen in Fi s. I andII. This guide is located above the driving-shaft 20 at the location ofthe finger-wheel 28, and it is provided with a longitudinal slot 31,(see Fig. II,) through which the fingers of said wheel are adapted tooperate.-

32 is a slide confined within the guide 30, but susceptible ofreciprocation in a longitudinal direction therein and transversely ofthe driving-shaft 20. This slide 32 is provided with a longitudinal slot33, that is adapted to receive the fingers 29 as they operate throughthe slot 31 in the guide 30.

34 is a throw-rod that is pivoted at its forward end to the forward endof the slide 32. This throw-rod has pivotal connection at its rear endto a rocking arm 35, rigidly secured to the rock-shaft 24, therebyproviding for rocking motion being imparted to said rockshaft when saidthrow-rod is drawn forwardly by the slide 32. The rocking arm 35 issecured to the rock-shaft 24 intermediate of its ends and to its endopposite that to Which the throw-rod is connected is attached aretractile spring 36, that is attached to the central section 8 of theseedboX-carrying frame.

37 is a stop carried by the guide 30 and extending rearwardly therefromin the line of movement of the slide 32. This stop is adapted to limitthe rearward movement of said slide when it is reciprocated under theinfiuence of the retractile spring 36.

-In the operation of the dropping mechanism the potatoes are dischargedfrom the seedboxes in the manner previously explained and fall into thechutes 23 to rest upon the valves 27. Each time that a proper point forthe potatoes to be dropped is reached during the travel of the planterone of the fingers 29, carried by the driving-shaft 20, passes throughthe slotinthe guide 30 and enters the slot in the slide 32. Immediatelyafter it enters the slot in the slide it engages the slide andreciprocates it forwardly in said guide, thereby exerting a pull uponthe throw-rod 34. The throw-rod is therefore caused to effect a pullupon the rocking arm 35, as a result of which the rock-shaft 24 isoscillated in its bearings to tilt the valves 27 downwardly andrearwardly in order that the potatoes previously upheld thereby may fallthrough the chutes 23 and to the ground. After reciprocating the slide32 forwardly to the desired extent the finger that has engaged it slipsout of the slot in the slide, thereby freeing it. The retractile spring36 then returns the parts to their normal positions ready for the neXtoperation, as before.

I claim as my invention 1. In a potato-planter, the combination of aseedbox, means in said seedboX for delivering seed therefrom, a chuteinto which the seed is delivered, a driven shaft for operating saidseed-delivering means, a rock-shaft, a valve carried by said rock-shaftand arranged to operate in said chute, and means actuated by said drivenshaft connected to said rock-shaft to impart oscillation thereto,substantially as set forth.

2. In a potato-planter, the combination of a seedboX, means fordelivering seed therefrom, a chute into which the seed is delivered, adriven shaft provided with a finger and arranged to operate saidseed-delivering means, a rock-shaft, a valve carried by said rockshaftand arranged to operate in said chute,

and a slide connected to said rock-shaft and arranged to'be engaged bythe finger of said driven shaft, substantially as set forth.

3. In a potato-planter, the combination of a chute, a rock-shaft, avalve carried by said rock-shaft and arrangedv to operate in said chute,a slide having connection with said rock-shaft, and a driven shafthaving a' finger arranged for engagement with said slide,substantially-as set forth.

4. In a potato-planter, the combination of a chute, a rock-shaft, avalve carried by said rock-shaft and arranged to operate in said chute,a slide having connection with said rock-shaft, a driven shaft having afinger arranged for engagement with said slide, and a guide in whichsaid slide operates, substantially as set forth.

5. In a potato-planter, the combination of a chute, a rock-shaft, avalve carried by said rock-shaft and arranged to operate in said chute,a slide having connection with said rock-shaft, a driven shaft having afinger arranged for engagement with said slide, and a retractile springconnected to said rock-shaft for returning it to normal position afterit has been oscillated by said slide, substantially as set forth.

6. In a potato-planter, the combination of a chute, a rock-shaft, avalve carried by said rock-shaft, and arranged to operate in said chute,a slide having connection with said rock-shaft, a driven shaft, and afinger-wheel carried by said driven shaft and arranged for a seedboXhaving a main bottom and an apengagement with said slide, substantiallyas ertured false bottom, swinging wings carried set forth. by said falsebottom at the location of the 7. In a potato-planter, the combination ofapertures therein, adjustable wings opposing 15 5 a seedboX having amain bottom and an apsaid swinging wings,'and means for securing erturedrotatable false bottom, swinging said adjustable wings to said falsebottom in wings carried by said false bottom at the 10- fixed positions,substantially as set forth.

cation of the apertures therein, and adjust- H. J. SPRINGER. able wingsopposing said swinging wings, In presence of 10 substantially as setforth. GUs SoEHLKE,

8. In a potato-planter, thecombination of LELAND H. BUOKLEY.

